Chapter 184: Chapter 184

Nancy had been hiding her panic and impatience except for her occasional request to be told of the progress of the search that had been organized for her child.

She could bear no more. It was close to a week now since Josephine was abducted. She feared to consider what may have been done to her or what miserable condition she had been kept.

She had consoled herself with the belief that her biological father must have given instructions that no one should harm his child but she had no real faith in that assumption.

The man was a beast and would not mind doing away with anyone or anything that stood in the way of what he wanted even if that person was his own child.

Afterall, he had not wanted this particular child and had gone out of his way to terminate her life, what guarantee did she have that her suffering would touch him on any way?

She had not been able to sleep well at night and that she managed to eat was because of the life growing in her

She did not want to punish it for the crime of selfish humans who inhabited the world.

Her relationship with Jason was strained. She tried not to make it feel that way but the tension in the home and the atmosphere like the joy of the home had been taken away did that for her.

Her intimate moments with her husband that was meant to provide a means of temporary escape from her troubles and worries was now few and far between and though he tried to make it worth her while, she felt that something was missing. It was not done with the abandon they were known for anymore and she hoped that their troubles would soon come to an end because they had gone through alot' and even she could see that Jason was no longer his cheerful self. Everywhere in the house looked gloomy.

One day, before anyone woke, she had had her bath and dressed up downstairs and left the house.

She had timed herself very well. When Jason had woken to the sound of the shower hissing, he had felt that Nancy just wanted to feel cooler be ause she always felt hotter when she was pregnant.

He slept back when the shower was put off.

He had been unaware of any other thing. He had exhausted himself the previous day going round a d even round London but avoided the Richmond's residence but spied from a distance but had found nothing suspicious.

He had also asked the police if he could sue Richmond for his daughter's abduction and they had said without evidence', he had no case. Except he could somehow get a verbal confession from Richmond or anything that could implicate him and Jason had been devising means to do that.

When the household woke that morning, they found that Nancy was no where to be found. Jason thought that Nancy had really played them all. Her calm had actually been the calm before a storm. He had a pretty good idea where she must have gone to and he realised that he had nothing against her following her instinct. If going to speak to Mrs Richmond would yield any result, then why not because he was already at his wit's end.

Nancy went to London and following Alfred's directions got with little or no difficulty to the Richmond's residence.

The door was opened by the doorman and she introduced herself and asked for Mrs Richmond.

The doorman went and informed his mistress of Nancy's presence.

'Send her in', she ordered him, wondering at this visit from Nancy. She had never visited before and that was why she knew she must have a tangible and cogent enough reason from coming all the way here to visit her.

Nancy was ushered into her presence and pleasantries were exchanged.

'Madam, I hope you and yours are well?' Nancy asked.

Mrs Richmond nodded, looking inquiringly at her.

'You will wonder why I have come to you this way. I realise that you are a woman and a mother as well and would be in a better position to understand my plight'.

She continued to look at Nancy with unwavering concentration.

Nancy was wondering why the woman was not saying anything but her obvious concentration was encouraging.

'I realise that we should be enemies. Fate had decreed it so but I have nothing against you and can hold the wrong of another against an innocent person. I was not aware that Rodney was married when he came to me and it is my fault. I should have been more careful. I should have found out more about him before going into any relationship with him. So I do not mean to hurt you or take your husband from you and that was why when I found out that he was married and even had children...' Nancy shook her head in regretful recollection. 'I decided to go away from him and you so that I wouldn't have to be the reason for someone's marriage being destroyed or broken'.

'I know of all these. You do not have to go over all that it is all old news. Tell me what brought you here'.

Nancy was surprised that she should say that she already knew all she was telling her but in court she had acted as though Nancy was her sworn enemy and that she had deliberately set out to destroy her marriage and had got pregnant to use as a weapon against her husband. A blackmail to force him into marrying her. She was really a wonder.

She realised that she must have been putting on an act for people's benefit and to show support and solidarity for her husband. What women did for men!

'I am grateful that that has been cleared because it had bothered me alot about what you might think'.

'Do you really care what I think?'

'You might not believe it but I do and I am happy that you do not feel judgemental towards me', Nancy replied and swallowing, she released her bombshell. 'But the main reason I have come to see you today is not just as one woman to the other but as a mother to a fellow mother'.

Mrs. Richmond wondered what she was driving at. Hope she was not asking her to take on the child she had with Rodney, maybe because her new husband would not have her?

'Josephine is my daughter's name and just a few weeks after her second birthday, she was abducted on our grounds where she was playing. It is obvious that it was a planned job'.

'What has that hot to do with me?' she asked astonished.

'Rodney is responsible. I can bet my life on it!'

'Everything that happens to you, you hold Rodney responsible. How could he possibly be responsible when he is still serving term and trying to put up his best behaviour so that he would be let out on parole?'

'Just before he was taken away from the court to prison that last day that the judge gave his verdict, he drew close to me and told me that the war was not over yet and that I should not make the mistake of thinking that it was because he would ensure that I know no peace and that he would take his child from me because he would not allow Jason and me to be happy with his own child'.